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We summarise credible research and reports on sustainable finance and ESG issues. Our summaries, along with our AI ChatBot saves members time reading large reports, to focus on knowledge building and action.
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Anticipatory finance: An introductory guide
This introductory guide explores anticipatory finance, a funding mechanism released before predicted disasters to reduce humanitarian impact. It explains anticipatory action (AA), details potential finance sources (e.g. donor funds, government budgets, insurance), and presents real-world examples, challenges, and recommendations for implementation.
The Authenticity Advantage
This benchmark report highlights the link between authentic sustainability and improved business outcomes in Australian organisations. The report introduces the Authenticity Index™, measuring commitments, culture, and communication, demonstrating that high-scoring businesses experience better talent acquisition, productivity, retention, innovation, resilience, and profitability.
Financial crimes and land conversion: Uncovering risk for financial institutions
This report outlines the risks financial institutions face due to land conversion and related financial crimes. It emphasises the convergence of land conversion with crimes like money laundering and corruption, highlighting the need for robust due diligence and risk assessment. It introduces an Environmental Crimes Financial Toolkit to aid institutions in mitigating these risks.
Respecting Indigenous rights: An actionable due diligence toolkit for institutional investors
This toolkit offers practical guidance for investors to respect Indigenous rights. It covers understanding and incorporating these rights into investment policies, assessing and addressing impacts, and ensuring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. This toolkit aims to mitigate risks and uphold international human rights standards.
Impact at scale
This report by Social Ventures Australia explores the topic of impact at scale within the Australian social sector. It sets out key features of impact at scale, with Australian case studies highlighting different approaches in working towards this goal. The report aims to bring together a uniquely Australian set of perspectives on the topic, which is broadly missing in current literature.
Is CSRD working for financial institutions? A look into how CSRD is being rolled out across the financial sector
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), an ambitious EU regulation, demands increased transparency from financial institutions (FIs). Challenges include lack of sector-specific guidance and data collection difficulties. Despite the focus on reporting, FIs must use CSRD strategically to align financing with sustainability goals and ensure long-term compliance.
Bankrolling ecosystem destruction: The EU must stop the cash flow to businesses destroying nature
The report analysed the financial flows of 135 companies in ecosystem risk sectors and found that 22.1% (US$278b) of credit and 9.4% (US$65b) of investment came from EU-based financial institutions from 2015 to 2023. The report recommends that EU regulation should align finance with global environmental targets to prevent financial flows from contributing to ecosystem destruction.
Navigating transition finance: An action list
This report explores how transition finance can help decarbonise high-emitting activities and other economic sectors. It offers recommendations to improve awareness, clarify transition activities and finance products, and mitigate associated risks. Collaborative efforts are needed to navigate the complex economic, regulatory, environmental, and technological landscape.
Great expectations: Is engagement living up to its promise?
This report examines whether engagement activities deliver impactful sustainability outcomes, comparing systemic and company-specific engagement. It encourages investors to align engagement goals with investment views, distinguishes escalation mechanisms for equity and debt investors, and emphasises financial materiality for achievable, value-enhancing outcomes. Investors are reminded of their fiduciary responsibility to clients and stakeholders.
The global risks report 2024: 19th edition
This report outlines global risks in 2024 and 2034, in an effort to provide insight to government and business leaders about the potential threats of the future. The report highlights potential global risks ranging from false information, economic uncertainty, climate change, AI dominance, to an increase in conflict and organised crimes.
Social and Human Capital Protocol
This protocol sets out principles for valuing human and social capital, helping businesses to measure the value of community relationships and employee talent. The goal is to help businesses make truly sustainable decisions; however, this is a nascent field requiring more detailed data, and tailored techniques, to ensure more accurate results.
Accounting for impact: Financial and sustainability reporting of relocating graves in South Africa
This report delves into reporting sustainability impacts alongside financial data, using the case of relocating graves due to mining in South Africa. It highlights the necessity of clearer disclosure guidelines, improved stakeholder engagement, cultural heritage preservation, and recognising societal implications beyond financial metrics. Companies must navigate complexities and prioritise transparency.
Empowering key development finance institutions in Asia to accelerate the decarbonization of the energy sector
The report outlines Asia's challenges to decarbonising energy while driving economic development. It suggests there is significant room for improvement among regional banks and to achieve their commitments to the Paris Agreement, firms need to implement more stringent sustainable finance policies.
Considering social factors in pension scheme investments: Guide from the Taskforce on Social Factors
This final report identifies social risks and opportunities that can be addressed by trustees, industry, and policymakers. The guide outlines frameworks of good practice and materiality assessment, with data sources to support the assessment and provides practical assistance to enable consideration of social factors within their investments.
Artificial intelligence risk management framework (AI RMF 1.0)
This framework is a guide to promote safe, secure and transparent use of AI systems. The Framework provides four key functions – govern, map, measure and manage - with further categories and subcategories for risk management in AI systems.
Human rights and technology: Final report
The report highlights how Australia can achieve innovation while upholding human rights. It offers recommendations on how to protect and promote human rights while responsibly using new technologies. The Commission consulted industry, government, civil society, academia, and leading experts worldwide, producing a template for further accountability and human rights protection.